I was so sad to hear about all those poor animals who were shot when the owner unlocked their cages and then killed himself releasing them into the open. I don't blame the cops who had to kill them, they weren't equiped to trank them and it was getting dark and you cant let lions, tigers, bears, wolves etc loose like that where they might attack people.

I'm so angry at that man. Maybe I shouldn't be, he was nuts, but he was horrible, too. He had to know the outcome for the animals when he turned them loose. It was a vindictive thing to do, deliberately causing as much terror and mayhem as possible for them and his neighbors while selfishly escaping all consequences.

We're supposed to forgive cruel, insane bastards. I'm not sure I'm big enough for that. Yet, how does desperation play in? How does mental illness play in? And why the hell wasn't he stopped a long time ago on one of the multiple animal cruelty complaints and charges he got?? Why weren't those animals taken from him years ago? This is a terrible and confusing tragedy with a long history. I don't know what to think or who to blame. All I know is, I'm heartsick over it.

The laws in the state of Ohio are extremely lax when it comes to owning exotic animals. PersonallyI think it's a very poor idea. The New York Times had a good story on the tragedy. I'm paraphrasing herebut the sheriff was quoted as saying that it was just insane, just crazy that they had to kill all those animals.Some of them were shot within yards of their pens according to the story. If anybody gets a chance check out theNYT story.

Ya know, I'm not sure who to blame either! The laws currently on the books in the state of Ohio maybe? NBC News was reporting tonight that Mr. Thompson was a gun collector who would often trade a gun for an unwanted exotic animal. Maybe those trading a life for a gun need to be blamed since they didn't turn the animals into someone who could properly care for them.

It's a complex problem that exists in many pockets all over this country with private owners of exotic animals in varying circs under various state laws. Personally, I think none but registered rescues should be allowed to house "exotic" animals. Of course, I also think puppy mills, livestock factory farms and Premarin horse operations are cruel abominations. But who listens to me? The bottom line is, animals have NO rights anywhere on this planet as far as I know.

I was so sad to hear those tigers and cheetahs had to be shot...............there are so few left of them in the world. Why don't cities who have zoos, rescues, or exotic animal collectors (and they know they have them) equip their police with tranq guns, just in case? If only they'd had that available to them, those animals wouldn't have had to die. That guy was so far in hock to the IRS he had no way out financially--for life knowing the IRS. Maybe he set the animals loose to fend for themselves thinking it would be days or weeks before anyone found out he was dead out there in the sticks?

We have one exotic animal collector here in So. Beloit: he has a buffalo bull, ostriches (who can throw a mean kick!), antelopes (watch those horns), among others. No tigers or cheetahs that I know of, bears either for that matter. The police here already have access to tranqs and the guns if they ask (the animal control people have them handy for wildlife).

Oh...if only communities with known animal collectors, etc. could just automatically equip their police with proper equipment! SE Ohio is DIRT POOR!! SE Ohio is also full of good people whose hearts are breaking because their communities can't afford all the special training and weapons involved...